Once Upon A Time High
by Kidscomix
Summary: Contains M/M elements. Sixteen years ago, a great evil enacted another Dark Curse upon Storybrooke removing all magic and memories from the residents. Teenage English foreign exchange student Odileon "Odie" White enters the town to discover that all is not what it seems. Can he break curse and free everyone before he meets his swan's song?
1. Chapter 1

_**Odie**_

_Saint Jerome Academy_

_London, England_

"You staring at me wanker?"

My back slams hard against the lockers. My attacker has me in a vicelike grip and all I can think of is the large bruise I'm about to receive at any moment.

Here we go again. Seventeen year old footballer captain and the most popular jock at our school, Trevor Sampson, dishing out his daily bullying rituals to his whipping boy, namely me, in the hallway, in order to exert some Cro-Magnon, prehistoric reign over the rest of his bootlicking followers. Hence, let us all join in a game of hate bashing the only closeted homosexual kid in school. Unfortunately, I seem to fit the criteria.

My name is Odileon "Odie" White. I'm sixteen years old, 5'10, with black hair and gorgeous blue eyes. Well, I think they're gorgeous according to what my best friend Mae says. She calls me a pretty boy, it might sound like some gay thing but let me tell you it's not. I guess I'm one of those gays that doesn't fit into any GLBT stereotype. I don't sew frilly frocks, I don't do hair, and I hate musicals. Oh and I don't have a six pack or enjoy going to the gym. I enjoy video games, sci-fi fantasy movies, and Harry Potter. In short, I'm a geek so you can throw out those preconceived notions. Oh did I mention that I'm smart? It's not exactly something that's embraced at my school especially when your classmates aren't exactly academics I guess that's why my bully Trevor despises me so much. I think he's jealous that his brain size matches what he's concealing in his knickers. Now that's a scary thought.

"You checking my ass, pansy boy?" Believe me, his derriere is the last thing I want to check out. I wouldn't mind a gander at Daniel Craig's or even Colin Farrell though. Now those are butts worth checking out but I digress. Trevor's hands tighten along the top of the sports coat of my uniform. His fingers wrinkle the polyester as I take a whiff of the jock's horrible halitosis emitting from his mouth. The teen sure could use a breath mint.

"Leave him alone!"

My eyes dart toward my only supporter. My one true friend, my only friend. My bestie, you could say, at this lousy school. Standing at petite stature of 5'4 with long black hair that extends down her spine, and innocent dark eyes that compliment her pretty Eurasian features, sixteen year old Mae Nak stamps her foot in protest just hoping someone intervenes.

Sadly, no one does. So much for my theory that everyone carries some sort of human compassion, I guess I'm wrong. Instead, I hear my schoolmates gather around us and chant the most cliché words of words to stir up a crowd.

_FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!_

I force myself to ignore their chants to see another girl, blonde and striking, sucking on a lollipop as she watches her huge boyfriend preparing himself to beat me to a bloody pulp. Trevor's girlfriend, Jessica Moore, is perhaps the most popular girl at Saint Jerome. Boys wanted to date her and girls wanted to be her. Swinging her hips so that her plaid schoolgirl skirt sways from side to side, she presses her lips together and purrs. "Kick the bender's ass, Trevor!" She orders.

Jessica might not be the brightest girl in school but she knows how to exert her authority with her inner circle of friends. More importantly, she has full control over her raging footballer boyfriend's actions. In other words, if she gives the orders, Trevor always had to follow.

An evil grin cracks across the jock's mouth. "I'm going to enjoy smashing your face in bum chum!" His hand flexes, fingers close, and he instantly pulls back his arm. I hear Mae running toward the other direction, hopefully to get help; her plaid skirt flapping and her buckle shoes tapping against the tile floor of the school until the sounds finally fadeout and all I'm left with are the continual words of the rest of my classmates encouraging Trevor's assault on me. _FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!_ I see his fist flying. It's coming, heading in my direction. I hesitate, imagining the pain of the blow to not hurt so much. Leaning back his arm, he stretches in a method of pure aggression and need to inflict crucial damage. I wait for it and experience the breeze tickle my nose. I let my cowardice sink in and immediately shut my eyes. My heart is beating more rapidly than usual, as if it's about to burst forth from my chest and that's when all the weirdness starts.

That is when I feel, or rather, witness it. The darkness. No, I'm not talking complete blackness where my eyes are shut but images of blackened smoke, mixed with dark mixtures of color in various purples and gray hues. It swirls in front of me, spirals from one vantage point to the next. Then it warps into some kind of tornado that whirls all around me. I can't explain it but I feel this surge coming like an electrical current. It sparks from somewhere inside the apex of my body and explodes. Slowly, it drifts emitting and expanding from the center of chest until the entire radius of energy covers the entire hallway in waves. What occurs next defies all convention or explanation.

Screams. Dozens, no hundreds, at least, they vibrates on every side. Quickly, I open my eyes to see the frenzy. Everyone cowers in fear, their arms covering their heads while the rest of them hit the floor in total fear. A strange of gust of wind sweeps through the hallway. It rocks the corridors, smashes through the rows of lockers, and dents the metal like one big wrecking ball.

Trevor Sampson's face turns completely white. In a state of total shock, he wets himself and toss his arms out like a madman; thereby, smacking his girlfriend, Jessica, right in the nose and giving her a huge fat lip in the process. The duo cry out, frozen by their fear, and unable to run as the strange gale carries them off down the hall and outside toward the front entrance; they land safe in the mud of the school's front courtyard soiled but unharmed while the bizarre wind slowly dissipates until finally vanishes.

The other students realize this too, rapidly picked their belongings and slink off to parts unknown.

With the weird gust now gone, I adjust myself and raise my head toward the row of windows that overlook the hallway. Each one had been smashed in, a surprise to me, especially since it is a known fact that any out-of-control cyclone is bound to cause havoc and destruction within its path. However, it was the way each glass had been struck that made me question what I had just happened.

In each of the damaged sills, a unique outline took shape. Each curve, each line, and each detail of the object that had been repeated all the windows down the line appeared exactly the same. Squinting to ensure what I was seeing, I recognized the bizarre images in front of me instantly.

It was swans. A row of them.

I absorb this for a minute before I frantic footsteps came charging down the hallway toward me. Mae and Headmaster Darling race in my direction, both with shock expressions on their faces. Headmaster Darling notices the broken windows and glares at me.

His voice grumbles. "Mr. White? What is going on here?" His face stares at the dented lockers before returning to the swan shapes that had appeared embedded in the broken sills. I half-expect him to be cross and steady my brain in order to prepare myself for his reprimands but suddenly, out of the air, a black feather drifts down and rests itself upon his nose. He shoos it away, picks it up to examine it and speaks. "I see." His voice whispers. He turns to me. "Mr. White, I think you better come with me to my office."

I scowl and shrug in protest. "But Headmaster, I didn't do anything!" If I was going to take the blame for this, I certainly had a right to defend my innocence.

"You're not in trouble," he assures me. "This actually concerns your parents." His then focuses on Mae. "You too, Miss Bak. I think your mother needs to know about this situation as well."

Mae's eyes widen and she points to herself. "Me? Headmaster, neither Odie or I were involved in the situation! We didn't start the brawl. It was Trevor Sampson and Jessica Moore who instigated the fight!"

Headmaster Darling waves his finger. "It's quite all right, Miss Nak." His voice is calm. "I'm not accusing either of you of anything. There's something I need to discuss with your parents that is very important." A sigh escapes his lips. "Now come along."

He beckons us to follow him to his office. We reluctantly obey.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Mae<strong>_

There I stood with my mouth wide open, my fingers digging into my arm, and observing Headmaster Darling requesting a private meeting into his office with me and Odie. I can't say I'm thrilled. The moment I saw Trevor Sampson throw the first punch at my best friend, I knew I had to get help.

None of my classmates wanted to jump in. Hell, most of them are cold, rich bastards with silver spoons in their mouths who wouldn't mind watching one of their fellow students get punched in the face. For goodness sakes, they kept egging the footballer on.

You know this was going to turn out bad.

Therefore, I did what any sane, empathetic person would do. I went to fetch the Headmaster.

Despite being some lanky, eyeglass wearing, hipster-looking fellow, Headmaster John Darling, I hoped, would be fair and listen to both sides of the story. It's no secret that the school's footballer captain bullied Odie. He had it in for him ever since kindergarten when Trevor pushed Odie off the swings on the playground. I'm not quite sure what that dumb jock's problem was but all I know was that Trevor and his girlfriend, Jessica Moore, were nothing but lowlife scum. Sure, both teens are Saint Jerome's biggest popular kids on campus but to me, they're nothing but rotten gutter snipes at the bottom of my athletic sneakers.

I always assumed it was due to jealousy. Trevor is some big face, stupid athlete with the brain capacity of an amoeba while Odie is the opposite, unique and creative, good-looking, and the smartest person at our school. There is no competition there. My best friend has the smarts and is going places after graduation while I foresee his bully pumping gas at the local service station. That's how I see it.

Plus, you have to give Odie credit. It's not easy being a closeted gay teenager at Saint Jerome. When he confided his sexuality to me, I knew that he would be facing plenty of obstacles in the future from an ignorant, uncaring society. Still, his revelation only strengthened our bonds of friendship. For me, Odie White is the bravest individual that I know and now he was going to need my help again in order to get him out of his current predicament.

I was running back to the fight with Headmaster Darling in tow when we noticed everyone running for cover out of the hallways. Piles of paper were scattered everywhere. The lockers looked like they had been hit by a mack truck and the windows were smashed into odd birdlike shapes. We're talking a full-on disaster area. I turn my head back to Odie who looked as white as a ghost and noticed the doors of the hallway leading to the front entrance of the school had been blown wide open. Out in the distance I made out the images of Trevor Sampson and his bitch girlfriend, Jessica Moore, crawling out of the mud pool like some wretched creatures. How they ended up in there is anyone's guess but I held a wicked sense of satisfaction that both got their comeuppance for their actions.

Good always triumphs over evil. That's what my mother always taught me. Sure, it's a bit corny to believe in such nonsense but I did put my faith in the fact that karma does exist. Evil loses. Goodness wins. End of story. That's the way world works and right now I was confused as anyone to what took place.

Headmaster Darling probes him for answers. "Care to explain what happened here?"

"Sir, it was Trevor Sampson again." I argue. "He's being picking on Odie, bullying him as usual."

Odie remains silent and stares right back the bird-shaped formations in the windows. Headmaster Darling notes this as well and comments on the shattered glass.

"What in Heaven's name happened to the windows?" He grills the boy.

Odie's lowers his eyes and shrugs. "I don't know. A strange gust of wind flew by…"

The Headmaster lifts hand and stops him right there. "That will be quite enough, Mr. White. I need you and Miss Nak in my office this minute!"

Just then a large black feather drifts out of nowhere and lands on the man's nose. He grabs the long object, examines it for a minute while his jaw drops. I've never seen someone with carrying so much fear in their eyes.

"I think I better call your parents. This is quite alarming."

I wonder what he means by that. Odie and I say nothing and trail after the man to his office. I can only pray that our foster parents are not too cross with us when the receive the news.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Billy<strong>_

_London's Elite Automobile Factory_

Car after car. Metal upon metal. I watch with complete boredom as the vehicles make their way down the assembly line, rolling across the conveyer belt to the next system of machines add on the next part of their construction.

My fingers latch on to the railing of the platform as hundreds of workers check the moving parts that manufacture the expensive luxury line of automobiles from Rolls Royces to overpriced Range Rovers. I already know that these products will quickly sell on the market. How can they not? For every materialistic socialite, corporate tycoon, and celebrity, there is never a shortage of high-end brands to line their pockets. Luxury goods are made for them.

Personally, I could care less. You're talking to the man who was once part of a troupe of bandits who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. That to me was true charity. Now I'm a bit of contradiction these days, giving in to the thing I hate the most: a rich working drone.

Here I am as the factory lead foreman, in a suit, wearing a lab coat, goggles and a hard hat while I make our corporate swines even more money by turning out expensive factory made cars in England. Sure, my bosses are happy including my superior, Michael Darling, but I would give an arm and leg to revert back to picking locks and steals some bits of silver and gold and sharing some of that wealth with the less than fortunate.

Oh, those were days!

I still dream that day that will return, before me and Annie were banished by the Dark Curse, before we were plucked from the enchanted world we once knew to this wretched place where magic doesn't exist.

One day we'll return there and everything will be as it once was. That's the one thing that I'm still clinging on to. Hope. For now, I'll adapt, survive and settle into this humdrum life of ordinary mortals and play the part as capable manager for a greedy corporation.

Michael Darling stands beside me, observes our employees and smiles. "The Board of Directors are pleased with the results of last quarter's sales. They're expecting a double increase in profits this time around."

"Great." I groan.

Michael turns to me. "You don't sound seemed too pleased. I'd rather thought you would be, Will." He and only select few knew my real name. Will Scarlet, thief, adventurer, and all-around troublemaker. I'm a man of legend according to the storybooks but sadly I'm overshadowed by my predecessor and former friend, Robin Hood. That lousy woodsman always got the glory. Crikey! Look at me! I've been given a new name, an alias, and ordinary life as Billy White, foreman, father, and handsome, dutiful husband. Well, I shouldn't complain. My son, Odie, is an amazing kid and my wife, Anastasia, is just as lovely and beautiful. I should count my blessings.

"Don't you miss it?" I ask Michael in confidence.

"Miss what?" He replies.

"The magic? The Enchanted Forest? Our fairy tale lives?"

The short, pleasantly plump man frowns. "The threat on our lives? The loss of our loved ones? The fact that magic always has a price?" He grinds his teeth. "No, Will, I don't miss it!"

"You're still talking about Wendy?" It was a touchy subject and way too personal. I was going to address it.

Michael folds his arms, emitting a sigh in the process. "Of course, I do, Will. John and I think about her every day. She's always in our hearts. When that Dark Curse was enacted again, it changed everything. It banished us to this place and made her disappear. We pray that she's still alive, safe, and that one day we'll all be reunited as a family. For now, we have to keep Odie and Mae safe according to what the prophecy states."

In my anger, I punch the metal railing. "That damn prophecy!" I curse a few words under my breath. It was because of it that we were here in England. When ancient evil surfaced and enacted another Dark Curse upon the town of Storybrooke, all the fairy tale characters were transformed, leaving a few select exiles including myself, Anastasia, and the Darlings brothers to escape the from the enchantment to the United Kingdom where we had to make new lives for ourselves until we could return to break the spell. It did not appear that would be happening anytime soon.

Michael's hand squeezes my shoulder. "Cheer up, Will. Things happen for a reason. We will find a way back, I promise. You just have to believe…"

His words were cut short with the sounds of our cell phones buzzing. I pick up mine as did he and we check the messages on our screens that was sent to us a mass text from Michael's brother John.

_Something has happened at the school. Odie and Mae are safe. We must meet ASAP._

"Crikey!" I swear again. "What the bloody hell has happened at the school?" Nervous at the idea that something tragic might befell my son, I immediately dial up Anastasia. However, I end the call the moment Michael taps my shoulder and interrupts me in an attempt to grab my attention.

He has it. Michael's open wider. "Will! Look!" He points to the object slowly falling across the railing. A large, black feather glides in front of us but quickly vanishes in a puff of sparkling light.

More than ever, I had to call my wife. Returning to my phone, I dial her work phone hoping she'll pick up.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Annie<strong>_

_Brenton's Posh Store Boutique_

This season's trends: wrap print dresses, silk scarves, and boots. I made sure every mannequin on the store front window showcases every designer clothing, accessory and handbag. As the store manager of London's high end store boutique Brenton's, I call the shots of what every woman should be wearing in England this time of year.

That is why I chose dark crimson colored power suit with matching gold accessories and three inch heels that perfectly accentuate my curves and gorgeous blonde hair. I'm a woman working in fashion and I need to dress the part. I have to look it, as well.

My employees look to me for guidance and I lead a team as one befitting royal status. I should know firsthand. I am Queen Anastasia White. Annie, for short, since coming to this world without magic; the same regal, beautiful blonde monarch from the kingdom of Wonderland who use to be the evil Red Queen before turning to the side of good as the White Queen; hence, the last name White.

My husband is Billy White, aka Will Scarlet, a reformed thief who now works as the head foreman of a luxury automobile factory and I have a handsome, brilliant son named Odie and together we live in an elegant brownstone flat on the upper eastside of London.

Since arriving in this strange land, my family has learned to adapt to living with ordinary humans and successfully we've created a life together. Our son has no knowledge of our true identities and we intentionally keep him ignorant of the true nature of his birth. It's the best way to keep him safe.

You see, back in Wonderland, my evil nature had cursed me to become barren in exchange for a bit of dark magic. When I reverted to the side of good, I had to sacrifice one thing in order to maintain my goodness and that was my ability to have children. Though saddened that I could never have a baby, I was redeemed and given a second chance when Will and I adopted Odie and raised him as our own. I'll admit the circumstances of his birth are a bit questionable especially since he is the next savior to break the Dark Curse that has taken over Storybrooke but raising him as his mother has not made me love him any less.

Will and I have protected Odie from his true destiny and have kept him safe from the ravages of this Dark Curse. However, I know it'll only be a matter of time before the prophecy must be fulfilled and his destiny must come to fruition. That is what is fated to happen. The strange thing about fate is that you can never escape it. You just have to accept it.

I lose myself in my thoughts for a moment before my assistant store manager, Waverly Mak, wakes me up by calling out my name.

"Annie, are you okay?"

I smile at her. "I'm fine, Waverly. Sorry, I was off in Lalaland."

Waverly cracks a smirk. "Don't you mean Wonderland?"

A slight giggle murmurs from my lips. I realize she means well but speaking about my former kingdom still saddens me. Wonderland is now destroyed, gone, and buried away. There is no returning back to my former home so talking about it does very little in cheering me up.

Waverly senses my sadness and apologizes. "I'm sorry, Annie. I didn't mean to bring it up."

My hand signals for her to stop. "It's okay, Waverly. I know you were trying to cheer me up. Let's talk about something else." I suggest trying to change to subject. "Did the shipment of Manolo Blahnik's come in?"

"Tomorrow," she answers. "I called their Italian factory and they're overnighting the package."

"Excellent." I grin. I examine my store assistant. Dressed impeccably in a chic white blouse, black trousers, and heels, it's hard to imagine that my girl Friday is the legendary Chinese warrior Fa Mulan. When the Dark Curse destroyed the Enchanted Forest as well as many magical realms, Mulan escaped to this world where she rescued an orphaned Thai baby girl in Phuket named Mae after her birth mother died. Adopting the infant, Mulan changed her name to Waverly Nak and vowed to protect her foster daughter and our son Obie from a great evil that has been stalking them since they were born. Somehow she managed to find Will and I and we've managed to keep the children safe. So far, it's worked.

Waverly continues to go over the week's figures when I see her face staring at something on my right shoulder. I too focus my eyes in the same direction to see a large black feather resting on my suit jacket. I pinch the fingers of my left hand to pick it up as a row of glittering lights sparkle from the object. Slowly it transforms into a piece of folded-up parchment paper and glides down the palms of my hand.

"What is it?" Waverly questions me as I slowly unfold the paper. It soon becomes apparent what it is that I'm holding. It's a torn page from a book. A very special storybook. I glance at the vivid, painted illustration. In clear colors, the image of a clocktower is seen in the middle of a town square. A sign appears in front, twisted into various vines as letters form into words around the top of the gate that leads into the town.

_WELCOME TO STORYBROOKE._

Suddenly, my cell and Waverly's begins to buzz. I whip out my phone read the mass text from Headmaster Darling.

"Looks like there's a problem at the kids' school," I remark. Waverly agrees.

Just then my cell rings. It's from Will. I take the call.

What he tells me will completely change our lives forever.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Waverly**_

_Phuket, Thailand_

_Droplets of perspiration slid down my brow. A bead of sweat enters my mouth and I taste the saltiness caused by the tropical humidity of this strange land and my fear of the wraith that I had been fighting._

_As a warrior of Chin, I had fought armies of invaders, rescued pillaged villages, and battled horrible beasts but nothing had ever prepared me for the creature that I now faced. Known as a Thai dark spirit called the Phi Pop, this cannibalistic being had been summoned by a dark force and now stalked the forests of Phuket hoping to claim its next victim._

_Its target was a young pregnant woman named Ta-khian Nak. I was sent here to protect her._

_Back when the Enchanted Forest still existed, I had been called away from Robin Hood's band of merry men to aid a great sorcerer's apprentice. The apprentice told me of a quest I had to undertake to protect a powerful magical baby. Given a charmed amulet and a sword blessed by the sorcerer, I stepped through a portal into this world where magic doesn't exist and fairy tales are the stuff of legends and myths, none more so than mine. For you see, my real name in this land is not Waverly Nak but a true alias that honors a tale of a strong female character who disguised herself as a male soldier._

_I am Fa Hua Mulan._

_Garbed in my armor and my weaponry, I discovered myself in this new land where the heat is quite unbearable and rows of jungle trees surrounding me are a strange mix of tendrils and falling vines. I pull out the amulet to see it spinning uncontrollably as I heard a woman scream loudly in the distance. Quickly, I steadied my sword and ran off toward the direction of the bloodcurdling shriek._

_My boots dug into the dirt, kicking up leaves as I sprinted only to stop a few feet to see Ta-khian lying helplessly at the base of a large hill with her belly swollen ready to deliver her child. Blocking her body was the cannibalistic spirit, the Phi Pop, burying its jagged teeth into her shoulder. Pale, skeleton faced and covered in masses of wild dark hair, the evil apparition curled its sharp claws and raked its talons across Ta-khian's chest. The pregnant woman screamed again._

_Without a second to lose, I took up my sword and charged. The Phi Pop turned it head towards me, released its grip on Ta-khian and floated toward the trees. Layers of thin white material of the spirits raggedy dress swished through the branches as the evil ghost cackled and vanished among the vines and foliage. I lowered myself next to my wounded charge to check on her._

"_Are you all right?" My gloved hand added pressure to her bleeding shoulder._

_Ta-khian touched her hand to her belly and winced. She panted heavily. "The baby…" She said in between breaths. "She's coming."_

_For a minute, I panicked. I had no experience with delivering a child but this woman needed my help and being the soldier that I am, I was going to aid her in any way possible. I raised the hem of her peasant dress and assisted in her labor. No sooner had I done that then I notice the amulet spinning again and sparkling with an eerie glow. Ta-khian's eyes shot out and she pointed toward something behind me._

"_MULAN!" She screeched._

_Spinning on my heels, I raised my sword. The Phi Pop darted from a nearby a tree. Its skeletal fangs bore to display its jagged incisors, its pale claws ready to strike and mass of wild hair whipping across the wind. I could see its hideous face only a few inches away. With my hand steady, I clutched my sword tight and whipped it around me. The blade made contact instantly around the monster's neck. Both the edge of my weapon gleamed as did the amulet gripped in between my fingers. Flashes of light bent in a fractal shapes against the metal, blinded me for a moment before I heard the ear piercing cry of the wraith screaming in agony, only to suddenly vanish in a blackened void of nothingness._

_All that was left was the dissipating fog of gray smoke._

_I had proven to be victorious._

_Ta-khian hollered again. This time she wrapped both hands around her swollen belly. Placing the sword and amulet to my side, I knelt down to help her._

"_Tell me what I must do!" I demanded of her. Again, my frazzled nerves never prepared me to handle a delivery so I prayed the mother had more of an idea of the procedures I needed to follow._

_She panted again. Her breaths became more infrequent as tears welled up her eyes. She winced and placed her hand on top of mine._

"_There's not much you can do. Mulan," she paused. "I'm dying."_

_More blood soaked her clothes. I tried to cover the wound hoping to clot the flow of crimson spilling out of her. I was determined to save this woman and her soon-to-be born child._

_I protested. "No! You cannot die!"_

_A smile, friendly and warm, appeared on her face. Her fingers squeezed my hand._

"_This is what the Fates have decreed," she said in a whisper. "Fa Hua Mulan, you must listen." Ta-khian said these words to comfort me, though it did very little to ease my troubled mind. "My name is Ta-khian Nak. I'm descended from one of the ancient tree spirits here in Thailand. I summoned the sorcerer to help locate you so that he could bring you into this world - a land where magic is scarce and the people no longer believe in it."_

_My face showed a stunned expression. A land without magic? Could such a thing be possible? She continued._

"_There is a great evil from your world that consumes magic and, by doing so, fuels its power by the destruction of all mystical realms. Already, the kingdoms of Oz and Wonderland have perished and the Enchanted Forest is next."_

"_The Enchanted Forest?" I gasped. "That's my home! My friends are there! They need to be warned!"_

_Her hand moved up to my wrist and she gripped my arm. "It's too late! This great evil already has enacted another Dark Curse! This time it's more powerful than the one the evil Queen Regina created and every other villain after her! Your friends are gone now." She exhaled. "I'm sorry."_

"_No!" My mouth dropped. "This cannot be! Robin Hood! The Merry Men! Princess Aurora! Phillip! They can't be dead!"_

_Her face contorted as she tried to fight through the pain of labor. She grunted for a bit and inhaled to speak once more. "Not quite dead." She exhaled. "Just given different lives. You know about Storybrooke?"_

_I nodded. Of course, I've heard about it. It was the located in the land without magic where every resident living in the Enchanted Forest were banished to after the evil queen cast her spell. All their memories were wiped clean away._

"_It's happening again," Ta-khian explained. "The people are now living with false memories with the idea that the stories of magic are simply made up of fairy tales and mythical legends. They don't believe magic exists. You have to find the guardians who are protecting the next savior so that he or she can help break the curse and return everything back to normal."_

_I agreed. Still, I was confused by my presence here. Ta-khian took a few short breaths and waited for a moment to continue her story._

"_This baby," she panted. "She's the key to helping the next savior break the curse in Storybrooke. Her father was born in the Enchanted Forest and is part of a great destiny. You must bring her to the savior so that together they can break the spell together." Her face started to turn pale._

"_How do you know that she is the key?" I asked her. I could sense her pain was increasing so I tried to ease her suffering as much as I could. "Who is her father?"_

"_In this world," she gritted her teeth. "He goes by the name August Booth but that's not this true name. The name given to him by the Blue Fairy and his father Geppetto is…"_

"_Pinocchio." I answered for her. "This baby's father is the wooden boy?"_

"_Not a boy," she corrected. "A man. Simply a man I fell in love with. He never knew of my true nature and how our stars were meant to align. Pinocchio carries the tree spirit inside of him as does this child." Her eyes pleaded to me. She held my arm even tighter. "This baby is going to be girl. Her name is Mae and you must love her and raise her as your own. It was foretold of your coming. You must learn to survive in this world. There is money and documents that I left for you in the nearby village a mile from here. You can start a new life. Take it and find the guardians." Her hand squeezed my arm even harder. "Promise me, you'll look after her, Mulan. Promise me!"_

_All of this became too overwhelming. I had arrived in this strange land and already I was forced to make a solemn vow to woman's unborn child. I was going to refuse her offer when I noticed Ta-khian's mouth twist in pain. She grunted again but this time bizarre lines formed around the edges of her face and down her neck. Each linear shape made an indentation on her skin, formed deep grooves into her flesh, and transformed into images of brittle platelets of hard wood, twigs, and bark. It then dawned on me that she was changing into her true self._

_A tree._

_I stood up and stepped back, watching thin tendrils of vines and twigs growing from every layer of her body. Like clockwork the branches that sprouted from her body cocooned her and soon a million leaves blanketed her in one big chrysalis of tiny stems, pieces of wood, and branches until her peasant dress became completely covered in one huge nature shell. Silence filled the casing and it took a few minutes to adjust to what I had just witnessed before I heard the faint sound of a cry coming from the dense covering._

_My gut instinct took over me and I rushed cover and began tearing into the piles of twigs and leaves. Whatever cocoon Ta-khian had created no longer housed the woman inside. With my sword I ripped apart all the debris as dust from the chrysalis kicked up and I heard the wailing of an infant coming closer. I finally pulled apart the last of the vines to see a crying baby girl squirming among layers of leaves and brittle wood. Quickly I scooped her up in my arms and swaddled her with the cloak I was wearing._

_Little Mae Nak cooed in my arms as I held her. It was then that I knew she needed me. I might not have the experience that befits me to be a mother but it didn't matter._

_I knew I loved my daughter the moment I laid my eyes on her._

_She was truly mine._

* * *

><p><em>Saint Jerome Academy<em>

From the uncomfortable folding chair I was sitting in, I observe Headmaster John Darling fidgeting with a series of papers, books and documents from the shelf behind his desk as his brother, Michael, stands next to him and wait impatiently for him to gather his things. A bit stockier than his older slender sibling, Michael began gobbling up a prepackaged vending machine sticky bun which he consumes in a matter of minutes. Sad to say, the young man had put on weight ever since the pair lost their sister, Wendy, to the Dark Curse again so I didn't fault him for stress eating.

Everyone in attendance at this private meeting, including Annie and Billy White, had lost friends and loved ones, so it came as no surprise that we would rush over to the school's office the moment John informed us of the omens that he witnessed on campus. Upon receiving the news via texts and phone calls, Annie and I drove over to the school to learn more about what incident. Luckily, the children weren't hurt but John sent Mae and Odie home early with some elaborate lie concocted as an asbestos outbreak so that he could discuss the matter in more detail with us while keeping the pair in the dark. Michael and Billy met us at the school as soon as we arrived.

Annie White paces back and forth. Her hands fumbling with nervous energy, the once evil ruler of Wonderland known as the Red Queen turned into the good White Queen blinks at Headmaster John Darling while still looking quite dapper in her designer dress. I don't look half bad myself in my expensive blouse, slacks and high heels. As high end store management of an upscale London boutique, we look nothing like our original selves. I have to say that wearing cosmetics and a stylish haircut sure beats fighting hordes of evil Mongols in body armor. Whatever was I thinking? Anyway, Queen Anastasia or Annie as we'd like to refer to her in this world addresses John with her concerns.

"Are you sure that it was magic that created that chaotic moment and Odie was involved?" She questions the principal.

John pushes his eyeglasses back. "Positive. You saw the windows, Annie. Only magic could have smashed them into swan-like shapes. It's a sign."

"Maybe it was one of the students," I suggest as a possible theory. "You know how kids are. Any rambunctious delinquent could have caused the windows to be smashed in."

"In swan shapes?" Billy White quizzes me. "Come on, Waverly, you know those weren't coincidences. They've been created by magic."

I hate to admit it but the former thief once named Will Scarlett was right. As much as I wanted to deny that magic was still in existence, there was too much evidence to prove that it wasn't. My arms fold and I bring them closer to my chest. "But the children are too young. Whatever destiny was decreed, it wouldn't have chosen them now."

John exhales a breath. "It has, Waverly." He spreads the documents all across his desk. Scrolls open up to pages of diagrams and writings while he marks pages in his books to various chapters, the counter becomes littered with dozens of mystical resources. All of which intrigue us as we gather around the table. "We are all aware of the elusive Author." He starts.

Of course we all were. The mysterious Author dictated each of our stories in a magic fairy tale book that had been once owned by the first Savior's son, Henry Mills, before his and Wendy Darling's disappearance sixteen years ago. It detailed how the path our lives would take and dictated what was to happen to us. No one ever met the author but his or her presence continued to make an appearance through a series of clues left in front of us, namely the magical resources that John Darling now possessed.

"Several times the Author has left several clues for us," the Headmaster repeats. "In the form of story book pages like this one." He held up the page that Annie and I found at the boutique. "Well, he left another this morning at my office." Opening his desk drawer, he pulls a sheet of paper with a picture of Odie and Mae boarding a plane. All of us stare at the mysterious document. "According to the Author's clues, he or she wants second Savior and the key to journey back to Storybrooke to help break the curse. Whoever this person is thinks it's time the pair fulfill their destinies."

"Destinies?" Annie balks. Her blue eyes roll around. "We haven't heard from this Author for years and suddenly this person wants us to sacrifice our children? Absolutely not! We've kept them safe and only we can keep them alive from this great evil!"

At this point Michael Darling wipes the crumbs off his mouth from the pastry and steps in. "I know how you feel, Annie, but we made solemn promise to raise and protect the children until they were ready to return to America to complete their mission." The portly man releases a breath. "We love them too but we would be doing a dishonorable service to the people of the Enchanted Forest by not vowing to save them."

The former Red Queen tightens her fists to her sides. "This is more than what Odie and Mae can handle! We're talking the Prime Evil here, the most dangerous presence in the world of magic, even more deadly than the Dark One. They're not ready for this!" Her eyes glance to me for support. "What do you think, Waverly?"

I had named myself after the character Waverly Jong from Amy Tam's novel The Joy Luck Club and honored Mae's birth mother by taking her last name of Nak. Annie always came to me for advice when she couldn't make a difficult decision. This was one of those times. Considering all the options, I decided to make the wisest choice. "As a mother, I too feel concern with sending our children into battle but, as a warrior and a hero, I know we sometimes have to make the hardest decisions in order to save an entire population." I nod. "We have raised Odie and Mae to be two amazing people and we should be supportive of them finding their true calling by allowing them to make the journey to Storybrooke."

With reluctance, Annie finally agrees. "You're right, Mulan." She calls me by my true name. "We cannot be selfish especially when the children are concerned. Odie is the Savior and Mae is the key. We need to be supportive."

"We are." Billy slips his arms around his wife to comfort her. "We are doing the right thing." He then addresses John. "So how do we do this?"

The Headmaster scans the documents. "We start from the beginning." He advises. "From what we know, the Great Evil has many names. It has been called the Chaos Bringer, the Creator of Destruction, or simply put, the Prime Evil. It is where all dark magic had originated from and what helped created every Dark Curse that ever has been enacted. In order to sustain itself, it has to feed on all forms of magic. It consumes magical realms by destroying them as it did with Oz and Wonderland."

Annie and Billy sadly nod. Their wondrous Wonderland had fallen victim to the Prime Evil's hunger and now was no more. Michael Darling adds his perspective also.

"It had started to consume the Enchanted Forest but with the help of the First Savior, the Evil Queen, Rumpelstiltskin, and other magical folk, they were able to drive of it away or so it seemed."

John jumps in. "It turned out that the Prime Evil was much too powerful. It stripped away all magic from the First Savior and the Evil Queen, murdered Rumpelstiltskin and many of his magical allies, and cast a new Dark Curse over Storybrooke. Once more, all the residents were made to believe they were regular folk living in a New England town. However, hope came in the form of some unexpected births." He pulls one of scrolls. "According to this ancient writing, it details the how eight children born from the demise of the Enchanted Forest would help bring down the Prime Evil and restore order back to the world. Led by the Second Savior, born from a balance of good and evil, will band together the other six and put an end to the Prime Evil's dark reign."

"That Second Savior is Odie." Michael states proudly. "And with the Second Savior comes the key which is Mae. Now the two must find the other six to fulfill the prophecy and end the curse!"

Billy shrugs his shoulders. "If only it were that simple. Our kids can't walk into magically filled town and not become targets of this Great Evil. I mean Annie and I barely escaped with Odie when the battle began and it didn't come without casualties, namely your sister."

The Darling brothers frown. His comment hit them hard. When the war with the Prime Evil ensued, the dark entity had cast a spell that attacked Henry Mills and their sister Wendy. Both became consumed in a fiery explosion. The siblings believed both youngsters to be dead.

"I understand, Billy," Michael replies. "However, I do believe our sister is still alive and well as is Henry. We might have escaped the curse but the Author has led us all here to make sure the Second Savior and Mae were safe from it. We've fulfilled our part and now it's time to ensure that we complete our promise to the town."

John Darling nods. "Exactly. That is why I've been researching the town for years. You see, even though the magic had been stripped away, not everyone lost their memories during the Dark Curse. I have spies who have been sending me information about Storybrooke."

"Spies?" Annie's blue eyes lit up. "Like who?" Her curiosity peaks.

"Namely a woman named Malia Levington." The Headmaster smiles. "That's her name in this world but to those in the Enchanted Forest know her best as the original dark fairy…"

"Maleficent?" I gasp. The name rang in my ears. She was the evil fairy who put Princess Aurora under the Sleeping Curse and got turned into a dragon by Queen Regina. Apparently, she hadn't perished when Emma Swan stabbed her with a sword, only to later resurface with a group of villainesses including Cruella Deville and Ursula the Sea Witch. Her name alone enraged me.

John notices this and shakes his palm up to calm me down. "Relax, Mulan. If you know her true story, you might sympathize." I tried. It wasn't working. "The dark fae isn't truly evil. She was created that way by King Stefan after he jilted her and stole their child."

I blink a few times. "Her child? What did she spawn? Some imp?"

"Princess Aurora."

My body shot up. "That's a lie! Maleficent isn't Princess Aurora's mother. Queen Leah is!"

Shaking his head, John corrects me. "Queen Leah was barren so King Stefan sought out a consort among the enchanted realm of the fae known as the Fir Bolg. He seduced Maleficent and, upon giving birth to her, abducted her and brought her back to his kingdom. You can understand Maleficent's obsession with getting her child back. It might not have been the best strategy but that's how she handled it. Anyway, Aurora is living under the guise as a single mother named Courtney and Maleficent is taking care of her and her grandson, Philip."

"Prince Phillip is dead?" I said with shock.

Sadly, Michael Darling nods. "Unfortunately, he and many others didn't survive the final battle including Cruella, Ursula, Robin Hood and his wife Marian and son Roland. Aurora thinks he died in car accident leaving her to raise their son alone."

A deep heart ache fills my heart. Despite my true feelings for Princess Aurora, I was content to known she found true happiness with Phillip. To hear of his demise saddens me.

The younger Darling continues. "There's more. To control the Prime Evil, Rumpelstiltskin cast his final spell to contain the dark entity. He couldn't destroy it but he could house it in another vessel in order to make it less powerful. He did this by resurrecting Regina's first love, Daniel."

"But we all know that Daniel was some undead creation by Dr. Frankenstein," Annie notes. "He couldn't be brought back to life."

"Somehow Rumpelstiltskin managed to successfully do that and trap the Prime Evil's soul into his body. He now calls himself Daniel H. Barrott and governs the new Storybrooke as mayor for last sixteen years."

"What do you mean new Storybrooke?" Billy questions the Headmaster. "What happened to the town?"

"Mayor Barrott turned Storybrooke into some theme amusement park and uses fairy tales as a cover the real deal. Both the original residents and the new ones moving in have no clue what really lies beneath the façade. Odie and Mae can go in undercover and won't be detected by the Prime Evil."

Annie puts her hands on her hips. "And how do you propose that they do that? A pair of English teens coming into a small town is bound to attract attention?"

John shakes his head. "Not if they're foreign exchange students. Just as we did before, we keep the pair in the dark and let them think they're transferring over to Storybrooke high as part of a cultural exchange. The more they are kept ignorant, the safer they'll be. The Prime Evil won't suspect anything magical about them."

"But they're going into this blind!" Annie replies. "They're inexperienced with the ways of magic."

"They'll see that things are not what they seem," he reassures us. "He'll notice that the original residents not aging due to the curse. They'll see bizarre things stirring around the town. When the time comes, they'll be ready. Mark my words."

Billy shoves his hands in his pockets. "I guess we'll have to put our trust in the fate and let things happen. I trust in the prophecy and if the pair are destined to break the curse, I think we should let it happen."

I am in complete agreement. I only hope Odie and Mae remain safe and ready.


End file.
